tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57680777048121232382016-11-25T07:18:26.366-05:00CLAUDIAS GENEALOGY BLOGDOWD, NAUGHTON, OROURKE, MORTEL, MALLOY, FITZMORRIS/FITZMAURICE, CONDON, SCHRIDDE, HACKMANN, BARTELS, KORBACH, FLEISSNER
SPERL, RAUSCHER, BOWSER, STEPHENS, COLEMAN,SAYLOR, ANTHONY, RHODES, HAUSER, FELDKAMP, HONERKAMP, MILLER/MULLER,Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.comBlogger584125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-42123857818257786422016-03-27T16:02:00.001-04:002016-03-27T16:02:15.155-04:00WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING AND WHAT HAVE I FOUND.<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I have been doing nothing much, or at least I did not think so.&nbsp;&nbsp; Running out of ideas of things to write has been what I was doing.</p> <p>In December I had written about Joanne,&nbsp; Ellen Mortel’s mother, her last name is Condon.&nbsp; Which I had suspected and now I know for sure.&nbsp;&nbsp; A subscription to <a href="http://www.rootsireland.ie/" target="_blank">ROOTS IRELAND</a> was another thing I purchased, and I tried it for one month.&nbsp; Needless to say I have been working over time with this site; printing, documenting and researching.</p> <p>One of my biggest brick walls in my Irish research has been the O’Rourke Family,&nbsp; I have been searching high and low for Denis O’Rourke and his wife Mary Griffith.&nbsp; A fellow Blogger, Dara, of <a href="http://blackravengenealogy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BLACK RAVEN GENEALOGY</a> has been my mentor for searching Irish records.</p> <p>She suggested using variants of the names, searching with the fathers name and children's name.&nbsp;&nbsp; She came up with Dionysius, instead of Denis.&nbsp;&nbsp; Well low and behold, that is where Denis was hiding, with his Latin Name, in the parish of Effin and Gamenderk in County Limerick.&nbsp; Hiding with him was his wife Maria (Mary) Griffin, plus Daniel, Patrick, James, Miriam (Mary), and Bridget.&nbsp; There was also a brother John (the eldest child), but the records started in 1843 and a number of the first pages were unreadable.&nbsp; </p> <p>It seems the biggest problem with the records is the transcriptions,&nbsp; I found the microfilm of the National Library of Ireland to be the clearest’; they also have a mechanism to enlarge the pages, lighten or darken and&nbsp; reserve an image.&nbsp;&nbsp; With the writing larger it is easier to read.</p> <p>Today I was going through the entire roll of microfilm and what did I find but my great great grandparents, Patrick Mortel and Joanne Condon, at the baptism of their daughter, Ellen Mortel, my great grandmother and Patricks’ future wife.</p> <p>This leads me to believe that they had known each other, and perhaps Patrick came first to the USA and sent for Ellen.&nbsp;&nbsp; They married in Boston MA in 1874.</p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-36377894261684187822015-12-01T18:45:00.001-05:002015-12-01T18:48:46.912-05:00PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE ARCHIVES<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Almost all of my ancestors arrived and stayed in Allegheny County Pennsylvania.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I had been looking at different newspaper subscriptions and they did not have much or none from this area.&nbsp;&nbsp; So I had read about the Archives of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, which is still in production today.&nbsp; I decided to subscribe to it as a Christmas present to myself.&nbsp; This site is good in the respect that you can have the search done in a specific time frame.</p> <p>I have only been perusing the site for one day and so far I have found the obit for my great grandfathers (Thomas Dowd) sister, Maria (Mary) Dowd O’Donnell, she was married to Edward O’Donnell.&nbsp;&nbsp; I had their birth dates. marriage dates and information on their children.&nbsp;&nbsp; But where Edward and Maria went I had no idea.&nbsp; I found an obit for her, she died 17 July 1925 and she was listed as the widow of Edward; I searched for him with no success.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>The most interesting thing about the obit was that it listed another sister, Anna DOWD Logan, of Ireland, this came as a surprise.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to search for Anna.</p> <p>The second item was an obit for my grandfathers (Patrick O’Rourke) brother John.&nbsp;&nbsp; A second obit appeared and it gave a little history of what he was doing, and where he live in Western Pennsylvania.&nbsp;&nbsp; It also listed that John died of heart disease,&nbsp; and “he was the fourth member of his family to die suddenly of heart disease.”&nbsp;&nbsp; Who were the others, what were their names, did they live in the USA, and were they siblings?</p> <p>It also mention that there was another brother, James O’Rourke, of Boston.&nbsp;&nbsp; More to investigate.&nbsp; </p> <p>The third discovery was an obit of my great grandmother, Ellen Mortell O’Rourke, wife of Patrick.&nbsp;&nbsp; The next surprising information was that she and Patrick were married in Boston and moved to Braddock PA, where Patrick was working in the steel mills.&nbsp;&nbsp; My grandmother and her siblings are listed in the obit.</p> <p>A quick search of Ancestry and the Marriage records of Massachusetts, and I found a marriage of Patrick Rourke and Ellen Mortelle on 2 February 1874 in Abington MA.&nbsp; The parents of Patrick were Dennis and Mary and Ellen were Patrick and Joanne.&nbsp;&nbsp; I am sure about Dennis and Mary O’Rourke and Patrick Mortell,&nbsp; I had a record of a birth of Ellen Mortel listing the parents as Patrick and Joanne Condon, I think that perhaps this is the marriage I have been seeking since 2007.&nbsp; Until now I have found no documentation on Joanne Condan, although their first daughter was named Joanna and called Anne.</p> <p> I have a lot more to research on this site, so far I am loving it.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-28149710180933613212015-10-02T10:27:00.003-04:002015-10-09T15:37:29.399-04:00SURPRISED WITH NEW RECORDS AT ANCESTRYI do not routinely follow with anticipation of the new record release, but the other day I did notice that Hamburg, Germany Selective Deaths 1876-1850. &nbsp; &nbsp;For the longest time I have had wondered about the death dates of my great grandparents Frederick Schridde and his wife Anna Hackmann. <br /><br />I knew because of the strict privacy regulations on records that they would be next to impossible to find; plus I was at a loss of where they died and how would I actually send for the records.<br /><br />But, I came across them, and did a search for the last name Schridde and sure enough up popped up my great great grandfather Johann Heinrich Frederick Schridde. &nbsp; That name was familiar and I had to check on my tree and when it listed his wife Anna Katharina Sophie Goetjens. &nbsp; I knew he had been found with this death certificate of my great grandfather Heinrich Theodore Frederick Schridde (15 February 1940), his parentage has been proven. &nbsp; Frederick's wife, Anna Meta Margarethe Hackmann was also there, she died on 7 February 1934, and the great great grandfather himself, 12 October 1833 and died 22 May 1900.<br /><br />I also found deaths of the siblings of Frederick, which I had not added because I did not have the proof his parentage, and quite a few marriages of sibling and children. &nbsp;It was a great day for me. &nbsp;My surprise was the birth place of Anna Goetjens, her father was the owner of a brick yard in Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein and Johann Heinrich Schridde was a worker there and married the owners daughter. &nbsp; &nbsp;It seems that the family was from Berlin, which was brand new information to me.<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">I was having difficulty trying to read the death certificate of Johann Heinrich Frederick Schridde, &nbsp;I read that his father was Conrad Schridde but was having difficult trying to determine his wife's name. &nbsp; &nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">I posted that document on the Genealogy Translations on Facebook and I received an answer, her maiden name was the same as her married name. &nbsp; Maria Schridde Schridde, no wonder I was having difficulty the names were the same.</span>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br /><br />Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-44672448027650436002015-06-27T08:25:00.001-04:002015-06-27T08:25:15.985-04:00DEVELOPMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES<a href="http://ancestortracks.com/Formation_of_the_Counties.jpg" target="_blank">DEVELOPMENT OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES</a><br /><br /><br />This is a great chart if you are searching in early PA. &nbsp; To enlarge hit "ctrl and +" and it will enlarge the map for youClaudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-51198575860231540602015-06-23T16:24:00.001-04:002015-06-23T16:24:24.803-04:00DNA RESULTS<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Yesterday I received my DNA results, it really was not much of a surprise.&nbsp; My percentages were 47% Western Europe, 26% Great Brittan, 22% Irish,&nbsp; 3% Iberian Peninsula and 2% Scandinavian</p> <p>Well, maybe a little surprised with the 26% Great Brittan, and the 3% Iberian Peninsula.&nbsp;&nbsp; Two set of my great grandparents came from Ireland, and two sets were from Germany.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>I guess there was a lot of mixing on those two islands.&nbsp; I think the Scandinavian was from my great great grandmother, whom I have found in an area that was once Denmark.&nbsp; The Iberian Peninsula who knows.&nbsp; </p> <p>I have to read about this and find more information.</p> <p>.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-62758969935468948012015-05-23T13:35:00.000-04:002015-05-23T13:38:01.448-04:00TWO FAMILIESSince I had received the Civil War Pension records of Robert Stephens I have been wondering about his first family. &nbsp; That came as a total surprise, or rather I had not considered that he may have been married before.<br /><br />What was the surprise is that he had filed for divorce and never went through with it and then took up with a second woman, &nbsp;who happens to be my husbands ancestor. &nbsp;I was perusing the name of wife #1, Sarah Wright and found a great narrative about her and her children posted by one of her descendants on Find a Grave. &nbsp; I wrote him a short email and asked him if he wanted to share information because I had it to share.<br /><br />On her death certificate Sarah had indicated that she was a widow. &nbsp; As far I &nbsp;can see, it seems that Robert was dead to her because by that time he had four children to wife #2 Olive Bowser, &nbsp;He was really excited to share information because Robert was a brick wall, that came tumbling down in short order. <br /><br />He could not find the burial place or any other information about Robert, &nbsp;I guess that was a major surprise and it would have been to me, I think none of the descendants of wife #1 knew about wife #2 at all. &nbsp; He and I shared much information and at least we had a good time with information, gossip is interesting and sometimes unbelievable even one hundred and twenty years after the fact.<br /><br />This will make great conversation among his side at the next family reunion. &nbsp;I may be invited.Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-66348450924447303772015-04-10T10:08:00.001-04:002015-04-10T10:08:56.330-04:00I HAVE TO GET GOING<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I have to get going on my research and writing.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been in the doldrums since winter.</p> <p>I have to continue on my Naughton research, I have typed up a form to send to the Diocese of Pittsburgh to request records on the Naughton siblings, I just have to get it printed and out in the mail.</p> <p>With the publication and release of the PA Death Certificates on Ancestry I have been spending a lot of time looking for and researching siblings of potential and real siblings and children of my family.&nbsp;&nbsp; That record set becomes mesmerizing after a while.</p> <p>A golden nugget of information that I found was the birth place of my great grandparents.&nbsp; Johann Bartels was born in Celle and his wife Maria Korbach was born in a small town, Burgel which is located about 12 Km east of Jena, in Thuringen.&nbsp;&nbsp; After searching Family Search I found a set of records for Burgel and I plan to send for a microfilmed version of this set.&nbsp;&nbsp; I need to search to see if the Celle records are microfilmed.</p> <p>Another find on my were at a German site, www.genealogy.net&nbsp; I found a transcription of a Ortsfamillenbuch of Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein, it is located north of Hamburg.</p> <p>What was listed was information on Johann Hinrich Frederich Schridde and his wife Anna Catherina Sophia Goetjens.&nbsp; These are the names of my great great grandparents, my mothers paternal side.&nbsp;&nbsp; But, my grandfather is not listed but there is a “blank” where he should be.&nbsp;&nbsp; I am certain the transcription is my line, but I need the proof to add the additional information to my tree.</p> <p>I have a lot of things to do and it should keep me busy for a while this spring and summer.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-4185927605462717272015-01-12T14:14:00.001-05:002015-01-12T14:14:49.411-05:00DO OVER PART 2<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I knew my great grandparents came from County Galway, Bridget’s information from the LDS records and Thomas Dowd from his death certificate where it was indicated County Galway.&nbsp;&nbsp; But his birthday was different from the one HE GAVE on his Marriage License application too.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RMU-DZg1fO8/VLQdJcaTEsI/AAAAAAAAdMU/F1TEG8cORCY/s1600-h/Dowd%252520Thomas%252520DC%2525201930%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Dowd Thomas DC 1930" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Dowd Thomas DC 1930" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-osK3dWiJY8o/VLQdKEPTORI/AAAAAAAAdMY/jPk5Z4VzyPM/Dowd%252520Thomas%252520DC%2525201930_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="337"></a></p> <p>One day I was perusing <a href="http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/" target="_blank">CONNERS GENEALOGY</a> site and came across a transcription from Glinsk Parish in County Galway.&nbsp; I found Thomas Dowd, with his sisters Mary, Norah and Catherine as well as his parents John Dowd/Doud and Catherine Fitzmorris, and a brother James.&nbsp; The dates on his Death Certificate and the Baptism Registry match.&nbsp;&nbsp; But, why did they give different date and why did both dates match existing people of the same name living in County Galway living at the same time?</p> <p>My biggest problem was the lack of Bridget’s siblings, I had a few theories; perhaps their mother had died in childbirth with the twins and Thomas remarried.&nbsp; This was my best because the death certificates yielded the parents of Thomas Naughton and Norah Malloy, sounded reasonable to me without any other information.</p> <p> On Bridget’s Death Certificate her son Richard had entered Thomas Naughton and Norah Nee, where did he get that name?&nbsp; I just did not know nor could I figure it out. Allegheny County or the Marriage Records from St. Thomas did not record the names of the parents.</p> <p>The last of this puzzle is why I could not find Catherine Naughton or her death certificate and where was she because my dad remembered her and he was born in 1918 and he remembered her so he would have been school aged at this time.&nbsp; </p> <p>As the whole story ends it is because Catherine Naughton married a man named Patrick Naughton (no relation that I can find) and she was in the same town as all the others hiding in plain sight, as they say.</p> <p>More on this saga as I find more information and on to change the people in my family tree…</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-34403202715356644442015-01-12T13:39:00.001-05:002015-01-13T08:57:30.537-05:00DO OVER??? PART ONE…<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>It has been quite a while since I have written.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been reading how people are putting their research aside and “doing over”&nbsp;&nbsp; The thought seems to be overwhelming but I only have been&nbsp; researching since 2008 and I have about 1000 people in my tree, all of which should be there, or so I thought.</p> <p>I had written a&nbsp; post about my paternal great grandmother and why I could not find her twin in the records.&nbsp;&nbsp; A fellow blogger, Dara of <a href="http://blackravengenealogy.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BLACK RAVEN GENEALOGY</a>&nbsp; found Bridget Naughton and her twin Catherine.&nbsp; It appears that Dara (Thank You Dara) was correct.</p> <p>How did I make this major mix up?&nbsp;&nbsp; To start with I used the date of birth that Bridget had given on her marriage license application; I entered it on Family Search and amazingly I found her with the corresponding date of birth.&nbsp; The parents were Thomas Naughton and Catherine Ward; so I was off to a good start; but the census records from 1900&nbsp; to 1930 gave all various years of age.&nbsp; This was puzzling but what I read this was not uncommon.&nbsp; I also did not know she was a twin at this time because none of my cousins I had met did not know of this either.&nbsp;&nbsp; A niggling problem was my father said his grandmother was a twin, and he could not tell them apart.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>When I received the records from the Archives of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, I gleaned the names of many women and a few of them were also Naughton’s.&nbsp; Then I did another search of the records, this took a few months into a few years because of the new names I found. </p> <p>With the Archives records&nbsp; and Family Search.org I found many of the names and they were her sisters and sisters in law.&nbsp; One of my cousins, we found each other online, gave me the names of a few of Bridget's’ sisters; Mary, Norah, Margaret and two brothers John and Dudley.</p> <p>None of the birthdays matched Bridget’s and where was the twin?&nbsp;&nbsp; I was on to other people in my tree, mainly her husband Thomas Dowd.&nbsp;&nbsp; I used the date or birth from his marriage license application&nbsp; and found him on Family Search, but none of his siblings.&nbsp; I was not worrying because Irish Research is suppose to be difficult.&nbsp; </p> <p>Then just by chance I found the transcribed records of Glinsk Parish in Ireland….</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-989708182519912692014-11-30T15:06:00.001-05:002014-11-30T15:06:00.302-05:00THE NAUGHTON TWINS OR ANOTHER MYSTERY<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>My great grandmother Bridget Naughton Dowd was an identical twin.&nbsp; My father said he could not tell them apart.&nbsp;&nbsp; My cousin, Erin O’Donnell send me this picture of them.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AFE6B1fPEvQ/VHt4nbkN7DI/AAAAAAAAciY/RO5n51obUjY/s1600-h/859300015.jpg"><img title="85930001" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="85930001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hVRd4eY7M_Y/VHt4oIkSyVI/AAAAAAAAcig/4Dn2um3-i9w/85930001_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="454" height="278"></a></p> <p>I do not know for certain, which is my great grandmother, Bridget Dowd.&nbsp;&nbsp; The first mystery; I have a records of her birth on 25 March 1868 in Ireland with father of Thomas Naughton and mother Catherine Ward.&nbsp; I have found no record for her twin, whom I have deduced with the name of Catherine.&nbsp;&nbsp; I found a record of their older sister Mary Naughton, born 19 February 1865, with the same parents.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; My question, one of many, where is Catherine’s birth listing and why is she not with Bridget.</p> <p>After the Naughton girls I no longer find any other children with Catherine Ward as mother.&nbsp;&nbsp; Did Catherine Ward die in childbirth?</p> <p>On Bridget’s death certificate her father is Thomas Naughton and mother Nora Nee, is Nora Nee a stepmother?&nbsp;&nbsp; There were a few other Naughton women who were sisters, Margaret and Norah with Thomas as their father.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>I have yet to find the twin Catherine, or have I?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; While perusing the Death Certificates I came across a record for a married Katherine Naughton, which I had discarded before because she was married.&nbsp;&nbsp; This Katherine had married a man named Patrick Naughton, Patrick had parents that were different than Katherine.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0XED6UGZA4M/VHt4o6ZLVOI/AAAAAAAAcio/RjhqEPNyFJA/s1600-h/Naughton%25252C%252520Katherine%252520DC%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="Naughton, Katherine DC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Naughton, Katherine DC" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-wwG3U27EPR4/VHt4pmukdsI/AAAAAAAAcis/mj60kaL68tM/Naughton%25252C%252520Katherine%252520DC_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="419"></a></p> <p>Her birth year is 1870, just off two years from Bridget, her father is Thomas Naughton but mother is Nora Mallay.&nbsp; There seems to be a discrepancy of the mother all over records.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>What I need to do is send for the possible marriage record and records from the Baptism of their children.&nbsp; That will be a start. </p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-20314824624514915502014-11-29T15:12:00.001-05:002014-11-29T15:12:24.989-05:00THE TALE OF DENNIS O’ROURKE<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I have been mulling over Denis O’Rourke for a long time.&nbsp;&nbsp; My grandmother was the youngest and talked about her brother whom, she said, drowned in the river.</p> <p>I found no record of him for the longest time and I found a Baptism Record in the Archives of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, St. Thomas RC Church Baptism book and I picture of him courtesy of my cousin Joanne Dougherty.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MC4xbr7JKB0/VHooj-EKLDI/AAAAAAAAcgk/8ZMCCy60D7Q/s1600-h/Denis-ORourke-picture4.png"><img title="Denis O'Rourke picture" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Denis O'Rourke picture" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-E2FlZtHMpHQ/VHoolCAPLTI/AAAAAAAAcgs/X89i5w5TtF8/Denis-ORourke-picture_thumb2.png?imgmax=800" width="404" height="537"></a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The interesting thing I found in the Baptism record was that his Baptism was records with date of birth 28 October 1875 and the names of his parents were my great grandparents Patrick O’Rourke and Ellen Mortel and sponsors were John O’Rourke and Marie ????</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eOlDv801fvk/VHool-0O59I/AAAAAAAAcgw/CdUWbJ7eYzo/s1600-h/Denis-ORourke-Baptism11.jpg"><img title="Denis O'Rourke Baptism" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Denis O'Rourke Baptism" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pVN6Nqaiqrs/VHoom-FYMmI/AAAAAAAAcg8/9Jzg7OPvkAg/Denis-ORourke-Baptism_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="232"></a></p> <p>Now the mystery here is the following Baptism of Joanne O’Rourke, parents Patrick and Ellen O’Rourke with the sponsors Martin and Winifred Otter, and the date was on the same page as Denis and recorded birth as 8 November 1875.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>I did not find Denis living with Patrick and Ellen in the 1880 census.&nbsp; My theory at this time is that Denis was the son of his brother John and perhaps John and the mother of Denis were not married at the time and Patrick and Ellen claimed him as their own in order to have the child Baptized.&nbsp; </p> <p>My only other clue to the drowning incident is the fact that in August 1892 Patrick purchased a cemetery lot in Braddock Catholic Cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp; Denis would have been about the age where he would be swimming in the river and it would have been summer at the time.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I do not think that Patrick, being poor, would not buy a cemetery plot if it was not needed.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>I checked with the cemetery and they are missing records for a ten year period occurring at the same time.&nbsp;&nbsp; He is also not recorded in the Allegheny Death records for that period of time.</p> <p>I never found a marriage for John O’Rourke and any woman but I did find his death certificate and he was listed as single.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WMzlSlFQCXs/VHoonmhpBeI/AAAAAAAAchE/K2AIimrr7n4/s1600-h/John-ORourke-DC-25-May-19084.jpg"><img title="John O'Rourke DC 25 May 1908" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="John O'Rourke DC 25 May 1908" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--H__OfFPx6w/VHoooZHICSI/AAAAAAAAchI/gj16lPRNSv4/John-ORourke-DC-25-May-1908_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="444" height="413"></a></p> <p>Another mystery I have found was a Baptism of Joseph Clarence O’Rourke in St. Colman RC Church, in Turtle Creek PA, which is the community next to East Pittsburgh, PA.&nbsp;&nbsp; Patrick and Ellen (now in their late 50’s) were listed as parents to Joseph Clarence.</p> <p>With the release of the Pennsylvania Death Certificates I found a Death Certificate for baby Joseph Clarence</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qopVPh85N9U/VHoooykhdTI/AAAAAAAAchU/-JRcT7pTQ98/s1600-h/Joseph%252520Clarance%252520O%252527Rourke%252520DOD%25252014%252520Feb.%2525201908%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Joseph Clarance O'Rourke DOD 14 Feb. 1908" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Joseph Clarance O'Rourke DOD 14 Feb. 1908" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RBL7y849a9o/VHoopoukmPI/AAAAAAAAchY/aK4btNuqn0Q/Joseph%252520Clarance%252520O%252527Rourke%252520DOD%25252014%252520Feb.%2525201908_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="444" height="404"></a></p> <p>Listed as his father was JR O’Rourke and Margaret Duffy of East Pittsburgh.&nbsp; Is JR O’Rourke the same as John O'Rourke and the father of both Denis and Joseph?&nbsp; I may never know the answer. </p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-46901046136996583342014-11-02T09:52:00.001-05:002014-11-02T09:53:58.362-05:00OCTOBER<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Two weeks ago my daughter was on vacation and we took a two day trip to Central Pennsylvania; it was a genealogical fact finding mission.&nbsp; The trip was only about 2 1/2 hours so it is an easy do again trip.&nbsp; From the geological center of PA to any where else in the state is about that amount in driving time.</p> <p>Not much was gleaned but we did have fun.&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="http://www.tyronehistory.org/" target="_blank">TYRONE HISTORICAL SOCIETY</a> was the reason for the trip.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been searching for the Coleman and Saylor Families and the dates for them are the Colonial Era in Central PA.&nbsp; </p> <p>I did not find very much but we had about forty five minutes before the Historical Society opened so we went to see the land in which my daughters ancestors lived.&nbsp;&nbsp; We took an exit east at Tyrone Pennsylvania and a few miles past the gap in the mountains we can up a vast valley that was essentially flat.&nbsp;&nbsp; I regret not taking pictures but it was off and on rainy that day.&nbsp; </p> <p>After seeing the area I was amazed and thought no wonder they settled here because it was absolutely beautiful.&nbsp;&nbsp; We then had a little side trip to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spruce_Creek,_Pennsylvania" target="_blank">SPRUCE CREEK PA</a> which was on a&nbsp; poorly maintained, windy, and very narrow road.&nbsp; Somehow I think we did not go far enough to see where the actual settlement and there was no GPS access in this valley.&nbsp; Emily thought it looked like a good place to have a horror movie.</p> <p>It seems that the Coleman line settled here initially in their western migration.&nbsp;&nbsp; I have read a few articles here and the trout fishing is suppose to be the best in the state.</p> <p>After that failed mission the town of Warriors Mark was on our radar. We now had to climb Tussey or Bald Eagle Mountain (I am never sure about the names because it seems to be which old map you reading as to which mountain you are on)&nbsp; Anyway, it is in the Allegheny Mountains which is part of the Appalachian chain.</p> <p>Warriors Mark is a small town on the escarpment of the mountain.&nbsp; The sign stated that the town was founded in 1768, that is a long time ago, while it was still the wilderness and part of William Pens' colony.&nbsp; We did not really find anything here since I did not research the particulars and just took a spontaneous drive to get there.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-7273554033495495412014-09-02T10:22:00.001-04:002014-09-02T10:22:39.308-04:00I THOUGHT I WAS IN LUCK<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I am convinced or at least I theorize, that James Coleman is the father of Thomas “father”&nbsp; Coleman, they would be the ancestors of my husbands 2x great grandfather Michael Coleman.</p> <p>He is now listed on <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&amp;GSln=COLE&amp;GSpartial=1&amp;GSbyrel=all&amp;GSst=40&amp;GScntry=4&amp;GSsr=7121&amp;GRid=87126405&amp;" target="_blank">FIND A GRAVE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; In the Civil War Pension, of his son William Thomas, the&nbsp; deposition lists him as “father 1780-1847.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He meets all the criteria, no other Thomas Coleman was found with the age in those years.&nbsp;&nbsp; Another thing about him in the census is he was about eleven years older than his wife “mother 1789-1831.”&nbsp; The second Thomas Coleman I found had a wife closer in age to him.</p> <p>Georgie Kratzer Allen had written a book: The&nbsp; Coleman Brothers Revolutionary War Militiamen of Pennsylvania and (West) Virginia.&nbsp; He lists in great detail the lines of the brothers Thomas Coleman and Michael Coleman, and also James who is just an after thought with his name and blank spots where his descendants are listed.</p> <p>I wondered about that for a long time since none of my Coleman Family fit into either lines.&nbsp; James is looking good as the grandfather, the reason there was no information, as I found out, is there is virtually no documentation&nbsp; about him.</p> <p>James has a Revolutionary War Pension file, but it is empty.&nbsp; My theory is he died young, but why did his wife not file for one?&nbsp; I have not found land records, he rented, nor have I found a will.</p> <p>In the same deposition mentioned above it states that the older children of Michael were Baptized by a circuit rider preacher, Reverend Lee.&nbsp;&nbsp; So on to see if those Methodist records could be found, what I gleaned was that&nbsp; records of the early church could be stored at Lycoming College, Williamsport PA.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>I heard from the Archivist and found that the circuit riders did not have a home nor kept records of the marriages and baptisms.&nbsp; He said that they just rode around the territory and stayed where they could including sleeping in the cold outdoors and weathering the seasons and predators. So, I am still back at the beginning on finding James Coleman. </p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-40236222863654414562014-08-12T19:41:00.000-04:002014-08-12T19:44:01.762-04:00GIMMIE ALL YOU HAVE...Has this happened to you? &nbsp;At our local Gene meeting this morning, one of the people asked this question; have you ever had someone found out what you were researching and then say &nbsp;"Give me everything you have?"<br /><br />That really takes a lot of nerve to expect someone to send them all of your research. &nbsp; How would you handle this demand?<br /><br />We all know that some of our research is incomplete and not proven and we do not want anything erroneous to go out because in a short period of time it will appear on the WWW, errors and all, and at some point in time it will come back to bite you.<br /><br />My husband suggested to say....my research is not done yet. &nbsp;Another person said to ask what exactly they were looking for.<br /><br />&nbsp;I have shared some of my information with distant cousins or people searching the same lines. &nbsp;So far they have all wanted to know where I got the information (I love those people) and sometimes what are my thoughts on the same family lines and I will willing share because they are also descendants of the same lines.<br />But I have no intention on sending you a GEDCOM to give you all I have.<br /><br /><br /><br />Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-26001468044230009382014-07-25T16:23:00.000-04:002014-07-25T16:23:07.783-04:00GRIPThe week I attended the &nbsp;<a href="http://www.gripitt.org/" target="_blank">GRIP</a> meeting, it was held at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CB8QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laroche.edu%2F&amp;ei=L7rSU7aoLYiOyAT2gIKgCw&amp;usg=AFQjCNE5-9i6Xoa9u8cl-cblsPEKGf_gag&amp;sig2=xs0ib0tLTEZ9zAcOkkGIjg" target="_blank">LAROCHE COLLEGE</a>&nbsp;which is located in the Northern Suburbs of Pittsburgh. &nbsp; &nbsp;I was enrolled in Josh Taylor's class:<br /><br />&nbsp;"BECOMING AN ONLINE EXPERT: MASTERING SEARCH ENGINES AND DIGITAL ARCHIVES.<br /><br />This was a great and intense class; we received so much instruction and hand outs with so many categories and links. &nbsp;The very first was how to use Keywords in your searches, this was so valuable because he talked about the Boolean system on finding things. &nbsp;What I was not familiar with was using the work NOT in your search, &nbsp;this was like an epiphany moment and I think it will be very useful. <br /><br />The example was if you were searching Washington then you would put: &nbsp;NOT George NOT D.C. NOT state. &nbsp; That should eliminate all those sites in your search. &nbsp;I have to play with my newly acquired knowledge and see what I may find. &nbsp;Josh was a great teacher and now my brain is full.<br /><br /><br />Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-40506081329889444062014-06-28T13:44:00.000-04:002014-06-28T13:44:44.287-04:00FINDING GREAT GRANDFATHERS SIBLINGSWith the release of the PA Death Certificates on Ancestry.com, I found some things I had never considered. &nbsp;I was looking for information on my husbands &nbsp;2x Great grandparents. &nbsp;They just seem to have disappeared off the face of the earth. &nbsp; With the possibility they may have lived to an advanced as I entered their names, Charles Stephens and Hannah Lonsdale Stephens. <br /><br />The last time I found the couple is in the 1880 census living in Allegheny City, Allegheny County in Pennsylvania. &nbsp; In 1882 was the last time Charles was in the City Directory in the same city. &nbsp;Where did they go? &nbsp;But I feel that in the eighteen years between 1882 and 1900 they have probably have died.<br /><br />I did &nbsp;not found Charles and Hannah but I did find the death certificates of four out of five siblings of Robert Stephens. &nbsp; The surprising thing was that three were his sisters. &nbsp; They woman had married and all stayed in the Pittsburgh area, and two of them in the same neighborhood when they had been born. &nbsp;I am working on their lines and so far have the names of the husbands. &nbsp; I think I will go as far as the sisters children in working down the lines. &nbsp;<br /><br />How far do you research a line that is not a direct ancestor? &nbsp; I am thinking that it will be far enough in case someone finds it and discovers that I have researched in England or perhaps someone who knew the married names and had no clue about their maiden names.<br /><br />There are also a few people that I know died, &nbsp;but can not find the death record, &nbsp;the only thing I can imagine is that they went on a trip and died while away. &nbsp;I need to find a good web site that has newspapers, but very few have the Pittsburgh newspapers in great number, or perhaps I really do not know how to search the papers very, probably the latter.Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-32143005557436306492014-05-26T19:19:00.001-04:002014-05-26T19:33:45.547-04:00MEMORIAL DAY<p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Rq7P8CfNFU4/U4PL6Fk2x3I/AAAAAAAAW_c/Xgz1u0l0lIg/s1600-h/Thomas%252520A%252520Dowd%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Thomas Dowd c. 1944" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Thomas Dowd c. 1944" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cP7lTQ3uA6c/U4PL6qn1YzI/AAAAAAAAW_g/qLcjcfNTjqU/Thomas%252520A%252520Dowd_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="619"></a></p> <p>Thomas Dowd WWII&nbsp;&nbsp; My father</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7XXSZOR1DqM/U4PPVfsTXnI/AAAAAAAAXAw/4QjrCpK5O0k/s1600-h/Richard%252520Regis%252520Dowd%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Richard Regis Dowd" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Richard Regis Dowd" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BhPjPkIFIjw/U4PPV6H-JkI/AAAAAAAAXA0/kfLi1mlewtI/Richard%252520Regis%252520Dowd_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="546"></a></p> <p>Richard R Dowd WWII my dads brother.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tRvkhb7RcWw/U4PL7CxfRJI/AAAAAAAAW_o/mAVVZeiwHb4/s1600-h/William%252520Graham%252520WW%252520II%252520%252520step%252520rother%252520Thomas%252520A%252520Dowd%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="William Graham WW II step rother Thomas A Dowd" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="William Graham WW II step rother Thomas A Dowd" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ADdUOU33YG4/U4PL7170EVI/AAAAAAAAW_0/X6Go2Frcuhg/William%252520Graham%252520WW%252520II%252520%252520step%252520rother%252520Thomas%252520A%252520Dowd_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="504"></a></p> <p>William Graham WWII—my fathers step brother—he had his ear shot off in the Battle of the Bulge.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-a6DAdIArSpE/U4PL8pvgtwI/AAAAAAAAW_8/A91VAYy9yyE/s1600-h/Richard%252520B%252520Dowd%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Richard B Dowd" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Richard B Dowd" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-F07fFQHDVFY/U4PL9F33JkI/AAAAAAAAXAA/amTue1Qs_Wg/Richard%252520B%252520Dowd_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="189"></a></p> <p>Richard B Dowd KIA—my dads cousin</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vmQrPmWmVcw/U4PL9nVG4mI/AAAAAAAAXAM/M0xyPc6JCRI/s1600-h/Michael%252520J%252520ORourke%252520Headstone%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Michael J ORourke Headstone" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Michael J ORourke Headstone" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YrXrMlE30Hg/U4PL-eIf03I/AAAAAAAAXAU/rGSoPzB8Cpw/Michael%252520J%252520ORourke%252520Headstone_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="504"></a></p> <p>My fathers cousin&nbsp; KIA WWII</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bpNNIjVHZ3w/U4PMANyer2I/AAAAAAAAXAc/LOpijLa32Zg/s1600-h/Michael%252520O%252527Donnell%252520obit%252520PPG%2525203%252520September%2525201948%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Michael O'Donnell obit PPG 3 September 1948" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Michael O'Donnell obit PPG 3 September 1948" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mNGzyOoj1-s/U4PMAnIOUOI/AAAAAAAAXAk/2aeXI4bM7v4/Michael%252520O%252527Donnell%252520obit%252520PPG%2525203%252520September%2525201948_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="600"></a></p> <p>My fathers cousin WWII</p> <p>Owen Mulroy&nbsp; WWI My fathers Uncle</p> <p>Robert Stephens—Civil War—My husbands great grandfather.</p> <p>Darius Anthony-My husbands great grandfather-&nbsp; POW Civil War</p> <p>James Coleman—probable—husbands 3x great grandfather—Revolutionary War</p> <p>Jacob Saylor—probably—husbands 3x great grandfather—Revolutionary War</p> <p>Probably more ancestors that I have not found yet.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-55883872687482754432014-04-28T11:27:00.001-04:002014-04-28T11:30:50.242-04:00ANOTHER QUESTION ANSWERED<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I has a mini brick wall concerning my husbands 2x great grandparents.&nbsp;&nbsp; On their son’s (Robert Stephens)&nbsp; Civil War information records it stated he was born in 1845 Doncaster England and came to this country in the early 1850’s.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>Checking the British BMD data base I found a couple that fit the ages, and names of Charles Stephens (1818--&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ) and Hannah Lonsdale (1823-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ) marriage. The marriage occurred in the parish church in the county of York and town of Leeds, on 27 November 1842.&nbsp;&nbsp; Charles’s father was James, a farmer and Hannah Lonsdale’s father was, John Lonsdale, also a farmer.&nbsp; I felt this was the right couple as the marriage record but did not have the proof.</p> <p> Charles was a florist&nbsp; at the time.&nbsp;&nbsp; I first found Charles and Hannah in Allegheny City (now Pittsburgh) in the 1870 census and his occupation was a gardener. They still lived there in the 1880 census and after that time Charles and Hannah disappeared of the face of the earth, or so it seems.&nbsp; I have been searching for them in the local cemeteries but have not found them.</p> <p>Robert was not living with the family at that time, he was living in Allegheny County with his first wife Sarah.&nbsp; There was documentation about Sarah and their marriage in the Civil War Pension file.&nbsp;&nbsp; When Robert Stephens died his wife did not know the names of his parents.</p> <p>What I did was search the Pennsylvania Death Certificates 1906-1924 and tried to find his siblings.&nbsp; After a search I came upon the death of his brother James H Stephens and it did indeed list the parents as Charles Stephens and Anna Lonsdale.&nbsp;&nbsp; Mission accomplished..Seems that James was named after Charles’s father.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-36323352254979143552014-04-20T11:50:00.001-04:002014-04-21T08:38:37.316-04:00EUREKA MOMENT<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I have been waiting, and not too patiently, for the release of the Death Certificates from the State of Pennsylvania.&nbsp;&nbsp; That time has come and I have been busy perusing them and adding them to my tree.</p> <p>I have found a few surprises too.&nbsp; In the Baptism records of St. Thomas Church I found a Baptism record for Joseph Clarence O’Rourke, with my great grandparents listed as parents, Patrick O’Rourke and&nbsp; Ellen Mortel.&nbsp; Since they were in their late 50’s at that time I was very suspicious about the parentage.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S-jrEUsdKmA/U1PsvDuiz8I/AAAAAAAAWmU/klMDBjEtj-8/s1600-h/Joseph%252520Clarence%252520O%252527Rourke%2525201908%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Joseph Clarence O'Rourke 1908" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Joseph Clarence O'Rourke 1908" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-g10ZVIDR5e8/U1PsvyNHcaI/AAAAAAAAWmc/KSgmPBWc9o0/Joseph%252520Clarence%252520O%252527Rourke%2525201908_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="458"></a></p> <p><b>Source Information:</b> <p>[Ancestry.com. <i>Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1924</i> [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. <p>Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. <a href="http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/"><b>http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/</b></a>] <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Is JR O’Rourke my great grandfathers brother?&nbsp;&nbsp; I know that according to my fathers notes that Patrick had a brother John and James living close by.&nbsp;&nbsp; The two brothers were sponsors at many of Patrick and Ellen’s children Baptisms.</p> <p>Were JR and Margaret unwed, I have not found a marriage for them in the church records.&nbsp;&nbsp; Were they married but to distraught to take little Joseph to be Baptized because it states that the birth was premature. Did Patrick and Ellen take him to be Baptized because of his frail condition?&nbsp; Baby Joseph lived only four days </p> <p>The next item I found was really serendipitous.&nbsp; While searching all the O'Rourke's in Allegheny County PA, I came across a death for John O’Rourke; upon closer inspection I found he was born in 1843, in Ireland and his parents were Denis O’Rourke and Mary Griffith.&nbsp; The person giving the information was my great grandfather Patrick O’Rourke.&nbsp; Patrick and Ellen were the only O’Rourke Family in East Pittsburgh at that time.</p> <p>I knew that Denis and Mary were the names of Patrick’s parents and now I am 99.9% sure that they are my 2x great grandparents.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have been looking for her name since 2008.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7JqO2gNkSaA/U1PswjJhnpI/AAAAAAAAWmk/1SlT_nhLusU/s1600-h/John%252520O%252527Rourke%252520DC%25252025%252520May%2525201908%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="John O'Rourke DC 25 May 1908" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="John O'Rourke DC 25 May 1908" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-i5qdlLJ3_8c/U1PsxSSwWhI/AAAAAAAAWms/Dwa_BnylPg8/John%252520O%252527Rourke%252520DC%25252025%252520May%2525201908_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="469"></a></p> <p>[Ancestry.com. <i>Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1924</i> [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. <p>Original data: Pennsylvania (State). Death certificates, 1906–1963. Series 11.90 (1,905 cartons). Records of the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Record Group 11. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. <a href="http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/"><b>http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/</b></a>] <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>What I need to find out is John&nbsp; O’Rourke and JR O’Rourke the same person?&nbsp; </p> <p>Every find precipitates more questions.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-8934266354352986362014-03-21T09:54:00.000-04:002014-03-21T09:54:21.056-04:00WHERE ARE THEY HIDINGYesterday I went to the Archives for my volunteer job. &nbsp;I was at a point where I could do a little research on my own family. &nbsp; I was looking for Richard Fitzmorris, I assume that he was a cousin of my great grandfather because my great grandfather, Thomas Dowd, mother was Catherine Fitzmorris. <br /><br />Richard Fitzmorris was the sponsor for the Baptism of my grandfather, also named Thomas Dowd. &nbsp; I found a few Baptisms for of Richards children between 1900 and 1913, but I can not find the family on the 1910 census. &nbsp; &nbsp;Where do these people go? &nbsp; &nbsp;I also can not find a 1900 census for Mary Naughton Downs, who was my great grandmother, Bridget Naughton Dowd, sister. &nbsp; I find her in the 1910 census and up. &nbsp;I have church records and a probate record listing she was in town, before and after 1900, &nbsp;but not on the census.<br /><br />Did these people hide from the census takers? &nbsp; If so, they are doing a great job in hiding. This is one of the most frustrating things for me. I know they were there but why can't I find them?Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-85102005191245287832014-02-27T09:49:00.001-05:002014-02-27T09:50:14.316-05:00BOHEMIAN CENSUS RECORDS 1869<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>By luck I found a link to the Bohemian Census records from 1869. </p> <p><a href="http://www.portafontium.de/searching" target="_blank">BOHEMIAN RECORDS</a> it takes a bit of time to figure out where you want to go and then the next problem is trying to read the writing.&nbsp; The form seems to be set up with each little house in each village and in Rosshaupt/Rozavadov there are about twenty.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <p>In 1869 my husband’s second great grandfather left Bohemia headed for the land where streets were paved with gold.&nbsp; They first settled in Baltimore and then on to Millvale, Allegheny County, PA, USA&nbsp; Millvale is a borough bordering on the city of Pittsburgh.</p> <p>I found a Johannes Sperl, who was born in the 1820’s.&nbsp; Is this Christof Sperl’s brother?&nbsp;&nbsp; I have to check the years of birth of both but if Johannes was older and inherited the land that could possibly why Christof left the old country.</p> <p>Christof’s wife, Catherine Rauscher, also said she was from the same town but I initially did not find her family’s name.&nbsp;&nbsp; It is quite possible she came from a village close to that town.&nbsp;&nbsp; I will need a tiny town map and how&nbsp; to read Kurrent script.</p> Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-45548858725499795662014-02-25T12:58:00.002-05:002014-02-25T12:58:26.793-05:00ASSORTED COUNTY HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES<a href="http://ancestories1.blogspot.com/2014/02/tuesdays-tip-more-county-histories-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FnxNYn+%28AnceStories%3A+The+Stories+of+My+Ancestors%29" target="_blank">COUNTY HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES</a><br /><br />This is a link for the blog AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors by Miriam J Robbins. &nbsp;There are many links in the various counties of Pennsylvania and most of them were written in the late 1800's.<br /><br /><br />Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-58907560245319297132014-02-23T20:28:00.000-05:002014-02-23T20:30:32.096-05:00Norah Naughton ConnollyI haven't been finding much lately, but the other day I was following the Shaky Leaves on Ancestry and came upon a Find A Grave for my great grandmother's (Bridget Naughton Dowd) sister, Margaret Naughton Stanton. <br /><br />A descendant of hers had transcribed her obituary to the site; and behold, it mentioned a surviving sister Mrs. John Connolly (Nora). &nbsp;There were a few Connolly men married with a wife named Nora in Allegheny County and I was quite excited to find her husband was John. &nbsp; That bit of information had been a mystery for about two years.<br /><br />I found a few census and the name of some of their children, the interesting thing was when I searched for their addresses I found they live close to each on adjacent streets. &nbsp; I was very excited, as with many of my other ancestors, Margaret's house is now a vacant lot. &nbsp;Now I will have to search the church records and see what else I can find ab out the sisters that I do not know.Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-19202947505643976882014-02-04T10:29:00.001-05:002014-02-05T08:28:06.859-05:00SEVENTY FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY<br />Today, would have been my parents seventy first Wedding Anniversary. They married in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on 4 February 1943.&nbsp; My father was in the Army and due to be shipped to Europe.&nbsp; <br /><br />He called her and told her if she wanted to get married to catch the train and and they would do it before he left.&nbsp;&nbsp; They were together five days and would not see each other until January, 1946<br /><br /><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AGuRSqW2x54/UvEHV0XTCzI/AAAAAAAAWA0/GehKKTQZ9cM/s1600-h/Tom%252520and%252520Gerda%252520Wedding%2525201943%252520001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Tom and Gerda Wedding 1943 001" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--DWfcjgucX8/UvEHWtayo9I/AAAAAAAAWA4/qyljbfHgwWw/Tom%252520and%252520Gerda%252520Wedding%2525201943%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="544" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Tom and Gerda Wedding 1943 001" width="454" /></a><br />I have often wondered when this picture was taken.&nbsp; My mother said it was their wedding picture.Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5768077704812123238.post-72019067124201948932014-02-03T11:26:00.001-05:002014-02-04T10:16:35.589-05:00MICHAEL RICHARD O'DONNELLNancy of&nbsp;<a href="http://nancysfamilyhistoryblog.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">MY ANCESTORS AND ME</a>&nbsp;made a suggestion that I should Google the Pittsburgh newspapers to find the death day of Nora O'Donnell Avington nee Dowd to see if I could find her Obit.<br /><br />I find searching newspapers a daunting and difficult task. &nbsp; So I tried the collection one by one; what I found something I did not know. &nbsp; I found her name connected to the death of her son Michael Richard. &nbsp; I had him listed on my tree as Richard and he was a person that I was unable to find any information about him.<br /><br />Here is why:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDH3tTRRNi8/Uu_CFnz9nMI/AAAAAAAAWAk/3abIJwaeGls/s1600/Michael+O'Donnell+obit+PPG+3+September+1948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDH3tTRRNi8/Uu_CFnz9nMI/AAAAAAAAWAk/3abIJwaeGls/s1600/Michael+O'Donnell+obit+PPG+3+September+1948.JPG" height="640" width="376" /></a></div><br />Michael Richard was killed at Normandy on 8 June 1944. &nbsp; The date of this Obituary was 3 September 1948. &nbsp; &nbsp;I thought that the troops were buried in Normandy, and how did Nora get him back to the states for burial? &nbsp; Four years seems a long time to wait &nbsp;to bury your child. &nbsp;Michael O'Donnell was my father,Thomas Dowd, first cousin. &nbsp; His father, also Thomas Dowd, was Nora's brother.<br /><br /><br />Further research told me he was a medic. &nbsp;<a href="http://www.ww2-airborne.us/units/507/507_honor_mo.html" target="_blank">Honor Role 507 Division</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;You have to scroll down to the bottom of the list.<br /><br />Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02714440790407126206noreply@blogger.com1